My Dell 8600...

D

donkey33

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 8, 2004
Messages
226
This is the laptop and all the specifications I'm looking at getting. Just want some opinions as to if I should change anything.

Should I remove something or add something.

Thanks


L540211 - Dell Inspiron(TM) 8600 1600N Notebook

Base System Inspiron(TM) 8600 Intel(R) Pentium(R) M Processor 1.6GHz (15.4" WSXGA+)

-Limited time promotional offer only. No further discounts apply
-Soundblaster Compatible Sound with Wavetable
-Integrated 10/100 Ethernet Network Card
-Internal Stereo Speakers
-Moonlight Silver with Venice Blue Accents Color
-15.4" Ultrasharp(TM) Wide Screen SXGA+ TFT Display
-Integrated 1MB ON-DIE L2 Cache
-Intel(R) 855PM Chipset
-Dell(TM) Media Experience Software

Operating System Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Home Edition (English)

-Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Software Driver
-I8600 System Driver CD Kit
-Norton Antivirus(TM) 2003 (English)

Warranty & Support Services 3Yr Mobile Support with Collect and Return Service

-3Yr Priority PC User 24X7 Support (Round-The-Clock Technical Assistance)
-3Yr Limited Warranty with Collect & Return Service
-1Yr Limited Warranty with Next Business Day Onsite Service
-3Yr CompleteCover Accidental Damage Protection

DIMM Memory 512MB (2x256) DDR Memory PC2700 SDRAM

-Memory Module Sockets (2 Socket User Accessible)

Keyboards Internal Dell(TM) 87 Keys Keyboard (English)

Mouse Dell(TM) Optical USB Mouse

Softwares Microsoft(R) Works 7.0

Floppy Drive 1.44MB 3.5" Floppy Drive

EIDE Hard Drives 40GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive

Internal Optical Drive Internal 24X Max DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive

Wireless Solution Dell(TM) TrueMobile(TM) 1300 802.11b/g 54Mbps Mini-PCI Wireless Card

Modems Internal 56K Modem

Video Card 128MB DDR ATI(R) Mobility(TM) Radeon(TM) 9600 PRO TURBO

Primary Battery 9-Cell 72Whr Lithium Ion Primary Battery

Limited Time Offer (For Online Orders Only) Free Lexmark Printer

Limited Time Offer 1 Free upgrade from 256MB to 512MB memory

Adapter 65W Primary AC Adapter (110V/220V)

No Carry Case

Before Tax 3,333.00
GST - Australia - 10% 333.30
Total Amount - AUD 3,666.30
 
Yeah sorry.

It will pretty much be used for everything that my desktop can do. I need one that can do it all pretty much.

In Oz there's not that much selection and it's the only one I found with a 9600.
 
Have you looked at the eMachines? Only reason I ask is that two of my friends have 8600's, and neither are as powerful as my eMachines. They have nicer screens and longer battery life, but when it comes to gaming and processing power, the eMachines is ahead by a good amount. One of them has a Geforce card of some sort, and the other has an ATI Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo. The eMachines beats them out on 3dmark benchmarks.
 
The emachines are a good thing but they don't ship to Australia.

Plus, if something happened to it, I wouldn't want to have to ship it back to America to get it fixed.
 
Maybe I am just old-fashioned, but aren't emachines the ultimate shit of the computer buying world?

They were a year ago at least
 
Nah. I've read on many threads that's old news.

They've picked up their game from what I've read.

So, is the Dell 8600 configuration ok. Should I leave it like that?
 
Originally posted by donkey33
-15.4" Ultrasharp(TM) Wide Screen SXGA+ TFT Display
- Windows(R) XP Home Edition (English)
- Floppy Drive 1.44MB 3.5" Floppy Drive
- EIDE Hard Drives 40GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive
- Before Tax 3,333.00
Click to expand...

1) Get rid of the SXGA. If you read Dell forums you will find a whole heaps of people who have had serious problems with SXGA screens. You will save money by going to the lower class screen and there's not much difference. The size of the screen itself is exactly the same, the only diff is resolution and you don't give up that much.

2) For the $$ saved on the SXGA get XP Pro, the built in backup is enough alone, but other high end features are well worth it.

3) Do you really need a floppy? I've been running w/out one for a long time now and have had zero problems or issues. I never need a floppy anymore with the OS booting from CD.

4) With the $$ you saved on floppy get an 80GB drive, you will thank me in the long run. 40GB is peanuts now adays.

$3,300????! Even if that's in AUS currency it still seems a bit high. Is this a full retail 8600 you're going for, and if so, why? Did you know you get almost brand new 8600's refurbished for maybe 1/2 that cost?

Search dell site for 8600 refurbished to find their refurbished inventory of laptops. Sure it's not brand new, but you can still get 3 years warranty on this and 99% of these machines are brand new machines that someone didn't want or couldn't pay for and sent back, so you get a bargain.

If you do go refurbished, look for a 256MB ram version. If you buy 512MB ram, they put in 2x 256MB sticks.. And you have to buy TWO sticks to upgrade it, which is expensive. For the $$ you pay Dell for 512MB 2x 256 sticks, you could buy 2x 512MB sticks at a local computer shop and get 1GB of ram in your notebook.
 
I have the 1280x800 resolution screen, not sure which that is, but I like it just fine.
 
I have the 1920x1200 or whichever screen and I would not trade it for anything. Then again I have the 1400x1050 in each my 600m and D600... I am crazy like that.
 
Originally posted by d03boy
I have the 1280x800 resolution screen, not sure which that is, but I like it just fine.
Click to expand...
That's the WXGA and I'm with you here. It's more than enough for everything I do.
 
Thanks guys.

I've actually been talking to a few people and they recommend I stay far away from Dell.

The price of this 8600 is Australia is a little to high for my budget so I might have to look at something different.

Also since mine will be used for gaming and there are no other 9600's in Australia available that I know of, I might have to just get a 9200 or 9000.
 
Originally posted by donkey33
I've actually been talking to a few people and they recommend I stay far away from Dell.
Click to expand...
Then no offense but you've been talking to the wrong people :-P

I work on PC's for a living. My 8600 started off by replacing my home computer and eventually it's replaced my work computer, and now it's the only computer I use or even need.

This is a really good laptop.
 
Is it possible to upgrade the video on these 8600s down the road? I opted for the basic 64mb nvidia card right now instead of the radeon pro turbo ...
 
Originally posted by tinysmall
Then no offense but you've been talking to the wrong people :-P

I work on PC's for a living. My 8600 started off by replacing my home computer and eventually it's replaced my work computer, and now it's the only computer I use or even need.

This is a really good laptop.
Click to expand...

Nah, no offence taken. They were the wrong people trying to sell me something else.

Anyway, the price is still a bit steep for me. I have the 1.6GHz listed in my specs but I'm considering going to a 1.4Ghz or even a 1.2Ghz to save a bit more cash.

Is there much difference if I make the drop or should I keep the 1.6Ghz. I heard you can't notice the difference at all between them. For example, the ATI runs the same on all because it's based on itself and doesn't rely on the CPU (Does that make sense?)
 
I just bought a similarly configured system and am quite content with it so far. I'll admit that the problems with the WSXGA+ started to scare me off, but I made clear to the CSR on the phone that I'd return it same day I got it if I had ANY problems with it. So far, so good - no noticable ghosting with Battlefield 1942, Vietcong, or Call of Duty.

Anyway, I opted for the 1.5GHz CPU, and put some extra cash into the 60GB 7200RPM drive. I didn't know if the other drives were 4200RPM or 5400RPM, but I didn't want to take a chance on getting the lower of the two. More RAM would have been nice, but since both slots are easily accessible, you can just go to Crucial or something, pick up a couple sticks, and install them yourself to save cash.

I originally looked at the Emachines, but I still ccouldn't get over the early establishment of Emachines=crap stigma from years ago. I'm sure there are better laptops around, but I didn't want to pay an IBM kind of price. I needed good battery life, and a good video system for gaming out of a laptop and I got it.
 
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